PhysicalBerry

Constantia

2005-03-27T00:27:00.000-08:00

City of ancient Cyprus better known as Salamis (q.v.).

Sucellus

2005-03-26T10:40:00.000-08:00

Powerful and widely worshiped Celtic god; his iconographic symbols were usually his mallet and libation saucer, indicative of his powers of protection and provision. His Irish equivalent seems to have been the Dagda. Sucellus was possibly one of the Gaulish gods who were equated by Julius Caesar with the Roman god Dis Pater, from whom, according to Caesar, all the

Daigo, Go-

2005-03-23T22:39:00.000-08:00

In full Go-daigo Tenno, personal name Takaharu emperor of Japan (1318–39), whose efforts to overthrow the shogunate and restore the monarchy led to civil war and divided the imperial family into two rival factions.

Israeli, Isaac Ben Solomon

2005-03-23T02:14:00.000-08:00

Israeli

Byron, John

2005-03-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

The second son of the 4th Baron Byron, he was a midshipman on board the Wager in 1741 when it was wrecked off the coast of Chile during George Anson's voyage round the world. After unparalleled hardships Byron eventually reached

Tibet, Plateau Of

2005-03-21T01:18:00.000-08:00

Also called Tibetan Highlands or Tsinghai-Tibet Plateau, Chinese (Wade–Giles) Ch'ing-tsang Kao-yuan or (Pinyin) Qing Zang Gaoyuan vast, high plateau in Central Asia and part of China in which the Tibet Autonomous Region, Tsinghai province, western Szechwan province, and southern Uighur Autonomous Region of Sinkiang are located. It lies between the Kunlun Mountains (north) and the Himalayas (south) and is a region of tangled mountains that rise 13,000 to 15,000 feet (4,000 to 5,000 metres). The plateau has an area of about 850,000 square

Yamaguchi

2005-03-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

Prefecture (ken), extreme western Honshu, Japan, bordered by the Sea of Japan (north), the Shimonoseki-kaikyo (Shimonoseki Strait; southwest), and the Inland Sea (south). Most of its 2,355-sq-mi (6,100-sq-km) area is composed of plateaus and hills, and there are no extensive plains. The limestone caves and outcroppings of the Akiyoshi-dai (plateau) in the west present a typical karst formation

Great Sand Dunes National Monument And Preserve

2005-03-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

Federal legislation enacted in 2000 created Great Sand

Biblical Literature, IV Maccabees

2005-03-18T17:52:00.000-08:00

Another Jewish Hellenistic work combining history and philosophy is The Fourth Book of Maccabees. The theme of the book, reflecting the views of the Greek Stoics, is “whether the Inspired Reason is supreme ruler over the passions.” This thesis is demonstrated by the martyrdom of the elderly scribe Eleazar and the unnamed seven brothers and their mother, taken from

Libertarianism, Nonaggression axiom

2005-03-17T22:54:00.000-08:00

According to the principle that libertarians call the nonaggression axiom, all acts of aggression against the rights of others—whether committed by individuals or by governments—are unjust. Indeed, libertarians believe that the primary purpose of government is to protect citizens from the illegitimate use of force. Accordingly, governments may not use force

Hasa, Al-

2005-03-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

Arabic Al-Ahsa' oasis and region in eastern Saudi Arabia. Al-Hasa oasis, the largest oasis in Saudi Arabia, lies about 40 miles (65 km) west of the Persian Gulf. It has about 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of palm groves and other crops that are irrigated by the flow of 60 or more artesian springs. Many varieties of dates are grown on the more than 3 million trees in the oasis. The oasis's population consists of almost

Dubuffet, Jean(-philippe-arthur)

2005-03-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

After World War II, as one of

United States, The Humid Pacific Coast

2005-03-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

Toward the south, with diminishing coastal rain the moist marine climate gradually gives way to California's tiny but much-publicized Mediterranean regime. Although mountainous topography introduces a bewildering variety of local environments, scanty winter rains are quite inadequate to compensate for the long summer drought, and much of the region has a distinctly arid character. For much of the year, cool, stable Pacific air dominates the West Coast, bringing San Francisco its famous fogs and Los Angeles its infamous smoggy temperature inversions. Inland, however, summer temperatures reach blistering levels, so that in July, while Los Angeles expects a normal daily maximum of 83 °F (28 °C), Fresno expects 100 °F (38 °C) and is climatically a desert. As might be expected, Mediterranean California contains a huge variety of vegetal habitats, but the commonest perhaps is the chaparral, a drought-resistant, scrubby woodland of twisted hard-leafed trees, picturesque but of little economic value. Chaparral is a pyrophytic (fire-loving) vegetation—i.e., under natural conditions its growth and form depend on regular burning. These fires constitute a major environmental hazard in the suburban hills above Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay, especially in autumn, when hot dry Santa Ana winds from the interior regularly convert brush fires into infernos. Soils are similarly varied, but most of them are light in colour and rich in soluble minerals, qualities typical of subarid soils.

Khartoum

2005-03-14T00:35:00.000-08:00

Arabic Al-Khurtum (“Elephant's Trunk”), city, executive capital of The Sudan, just south of the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers. It has bridge connections with its sister towns, Khartoum North and Omdurman, with which it forms The Sudan's largest conurbation. Originally an Egyptian army camp (pitched 1821), Khartoum grew into a garrisoned army town. The Mahdists besieged and destroyed

Loyal Publication Society

2005-03-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

In addition to distributing materials “of unquestionable loyalty,” the societies were active in both state and national politics, allied with the Republican

Earth

2005-03-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

Scientists have applied the full battery of modern instrumentation to studying the Earth in ways that have not yet been possible for the other planets; thus,

Akhmim

2005-03-10T03:17:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ekhmin, town, Sawhaj muhafazah (governorate), Upper Egypt, on the east bank of the Nile, above Sawhaj on the west bank. Extensive necropolises dating from the 6th dynasty (c. 2345–c. 2181 BC) until the late Coptic period reveal the site's antiquity. In 1981 remains of a temple (Roman period) with Ramesside statues were excavated in the city. The name apparently derives from the pharaonic Khent-min and Coptic

Agreda, María De

2005-03-09T00:07:00.000-08:00

Her virtues and holy life were universally acknowledged, but controversy arose over her mystical writings, her political influence, and her missionary activities.

Tarapacá

2005-03-08T18:52:00.000-08:00

Northernmost region, Chile, bordering Peru and Bolivia on the north and east and fronting the Pacific Ocean on the west. Tarapacá was ceded to Chile by Peru after the War of the Pacific (1879–83) and was organized as a province (area 22,820 sq mi [59,104 sq km]) in 1884, and as a region in 1974. It is divided into the provinces of Arica, Parinacota, and Iquique. Part of the Atacama Desert, it is without water except

Shi

2005-03-07T01:15:00.000-08:00

Also called dan the basic unit of weight in ancient China. The shi was created by Shi Huang Di, who became the first emperor of China in 221 BC and who is celebrated for his unification of regulations fixing the basic units. He fixed the shi at about 60 kg (132 pounds). The modern shi is equivalent to 71.68 kg (157.89 pounds).

Furniture Industry

2005-03-06T23:26:00.000-08:00

The modern manufacture of furniture, as distinct from its design, is a major mass-production industry in Europe, the U.S., and other advanced regions. It is very largely a 20th-century industry, its development having

Floral Decoration, Japan

2005-03-06T16:13:00.000-08:00

The arrangement of flowers in Japan is an elaborate and unique art, with highly developed conventions and complex symbolism. The art developed from the custom of offering flowers to the Buddha and was introduced into Japan early in the 7th century by Ono No Imoko, Japanese ambassador to China, who founded the first and oldest school of floral art, the Ikenobo. All the

Oregon Trail

2005-03-04T23:33:00.000-08:00

First used by fur traders and missionaries, the trail was suddenly in the 1840s thick with the wagon trains of about 12,000 emigrants to Oregon. Including an occasional

Kertanagara

2005-03-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

Last king (1268–92) of Tumapel (or Singhasari) in Java, still venerated among the Javanese as one of their greatest rulers. He united Java, extended his influence over Sumatra, and resisted Mongol attempts to exact tribute from his kingdom.

Myanmar, The military regime

2005-03-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

U Ne Win retired as president and chairman of the Council of State in November 1981 but remained in power until July 1988, when he resigned as chairman of the BSPP amid violent protests. Student and worker unrest had erupted periodically throughout the 1980s, but the intensity of the protests in the summer of 1988 made it seem as if the country was on the verge of revolution. In September

Pitcher Plant

2005-03-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

Any carnivorous plant with pitcher-shaped leaves. Old World pitcher plants are members of the family Nepenthaceae (order Nepenthales; q.v.). New World pitcher plants belong to the family Sarraceniaceae (q.v.; order Nepenthales). The fly-catcher plant (Cephalotus follicularis) of southwestern Australia is the only species of the family Cephalotaceae

Syracuse

2005-02-28T22:56:00.000-08:00

Syracuse was settled about 734 BC by Corinthians led by the aristocrat Archias, and the city soon dominated the coastal plain and hill country beyond. The original Greek settlers of the city formed an elite (gamoroi

Refugee

2005-02-25T18:26:00.000-08:00

Any uprooted, homeless, involuntary migrant who has crossed a frontier and no longer possesses the protection of his former government. Prior to the 19th century the movement from one country to another did not require passports and visas; the right to asylum was commonly recognized and honoured. Although there have been numerous waves of refugees throughout history,

Appoggiatura

2005-02-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

(from Italian appoggiare, “to lean”), in music, an ornamental note of long or short duration that temporarily displaces, and subsequently resolves into, a main note, usually by stepwise motion. During the Renaissance and early Baroque, the appoggiatura was of moderate length, averaging one-third of the main note, and was more in the nature of a melodic than a harmonic ornament.

Dowa Highlands

2005-02-24T11:48:00.000-08:00

Also called Chitembwe-mwera Highlands, central Malawi, rectangular formation covering an area of about 360 square miles (930 sq km); they comprise rolling hills crowned by high ridges including the heights of Dowa (5,571 feet [1,698 m]) and Ntchisi peaks. The highlands are bounded on three sides by steep slopes, forming the Eastern (Great) Rift Valley wall to the east and overlooking the Bua and Lilongwe river valleys to the north

Altoona

2005-02-23T23:04:00.000-08:00

City, Blair county, central Pennsylvania, U.S. It is situated on the eastern slopes of the Allegheny Front, a segment of the Allegheny Mountains that separates the Atlantic from the Mississippi valley watersheds. The city lies 45 miles (72 km) by road northeast of Johnstown. It was founded in 1849 by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a base for building railroads over the Alleghenies.

Aragonite

2005-02-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

Widespread mineral, the stable form of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at high pressures. It may be distinguished from calcite, the commoner form of calcium carbonate, by its greater hardness and specific gravity. Aragonite is always found in deposits formed at low temperatures near the surface of the Earth, as in caves as stalactites, in the oxidized zone of ore minerals

Observer, The

2005-02-21T04:46:00.000-08:00

Sunday newspaper established in 1791, the first Sunday paper published in Britain. It is one of England's quality newspapers, long noted for its emphasis on foreign coverage. The paper devotes extensive space to the arts, government, education, and politics, and it has a worldwide reputation for responsible journalism. The Observer is considered by other editors to be

Literary Criticism, The late 19th century

2005-02-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

The Romantic movement had been spurred not only by German philosophy but also by the universalistic and utopian hopes that accompanied the French Revolution. Some of those hopes were thwarted by political reaction, while others were blunted by industrial capitalism and the accession to power of the class that had demanded general liberty. Advocates of the literary

Ogpu

2005-02-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

Early security and political police of the Soviet Union and a forerunner of the KGB (q.v.).

Agnes, Saint

2005-02-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

According to tradition, of uncertain value, Agnes was a beautiful girl, about 13 years old, who refused marriage, stating that she could have no spouse but Jesus Christ. Her suitors revealed her Christianity, and in punishment she was exposed in a brothel.

Affective Fallacy

2005-02-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

Those who support the affective criterion

Business Finance, Term loans

2005-02-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

A term loan is a business credit with a maturity of more than 1 year but less than 15 years. Usually the term loan is retired by systematic repayments (amortization payments) over its life. It may be secured by a chattel mortgage on equipment, but larger, stronger companies are able to borrow on an unsecured basis. Commercial banks and life insurance companies are the principal

Reggio Di Calabria

2005-02-15T05:54:00.000-08:00

The original settlement of Rhegion (Latin Rhegium) was founded c. 720 BC by Greek colonists from Chalcis as a daughter city to Zankle (ancient name of Messina, q.v.). Under the tyrant Anaxilas, who also

Ashgabat

2005-02-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

Formerly Ashkhabad, Ashkabad, Askhabad, or (1919–27) Poltoratsk, city and capital of Turkmenistan. It lies in an oasis at the northern foot of the Kopet-Dag (Turkmen: Köpetdag) Range and on the edge of the Karakum (Turkmen: Garagum) Desert, about 19 miles (30 km) from the Iranian frontier. It was founded in 1881 as a Russian military fort and took the name of the nearby Turkmen settlement of Askhabad. It became the administrative centre of the Transcaspian

Heirloom

2005-02-13T13:49:00.000-08:00

An item of personal property that by immemorial usage is regarded as annexed by inheritance to a family estate. The owner of such an heirloom may dispose of it during his lifetime, but he cannot bequeath it by will away from the estate. If he dies intestate (without a will), the object goes to his heir at law; otherwise it goes to whoever takes the estate under his will. Such

Chase, Mary Ellen

2005-02-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

Chase grew up in Maine, graduating from the University of Maine in 1909. Three autobiographical works describe her background and early experiences: A Goodly Heritage (1932), A Goodly Fellowship (1939), and The White Gate:

Philosophy

2005-02-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

The subject of philosophy is treated in a number of articles.

Grace

2005-02-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

Greek Charis, plural Charites, Latin Gratia, in Greek religion, one of a group of goddesses of fertility. The name refers to the “pleasing” or “charming” appearance of a fertile field or garden. The number of Graces varied in different legends, but usually there were three: Aglaia (Brightness), Euphrosyne (Joyfulness), and Thalia (Bloom). They are said to be daughters of Zeus and Hera (or Eurynome, daughter of Oceanus) or of

Chamber Music

2005-02-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

For well over a century after its inception about 1600, chamber music was supported primarily by the nobility. Aristocratic establishments customarily employed groups of musicians who served as composers, conductors, and performers of a variety of operatic, orchestral, and chamber music; and traditionally the audiences were restricted to the patrons and their guests.

Skunk Cabbage

2005-02-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

Any of three species of plants that grow in bogs and meadows of temperate regions. In eastern North America the skunk cabbage is Symplocarpus foetidus, which belongs to the arum family (Araceae, order Arales; q.v.). In French-speaking parts of Canada it is called tabac du diable (“devil's tobacco”) or chou puant (“stinking cabbage”). It is a fleshy, herbaceous plant with large leaves,

La Trémoille, Georges De

2005-02-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

At first allied with the duke of Burgundy in the power struggle that continued for many years during Charles VI's madness, La Trémoille switched his loyalty when the rival faction, the Armagnacs, came into power in 1413. He was a member of the pleasure-loving group that surrounded the dauphin,

Allergen

2005-02-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

Substance that in some persons induces the hypersensitive state of allergy and stimulates the formation of reaginic antibodies. Allergens may be naturally occurring or of synthetic origin and include pollen, mold spores, dust, animal dander, insect debris, foods, blood serum, and drugs. Identification of allergens is made by studying both the site of symptoms (e.g.,

Performing Arts, Popular - International.

2005-01-31T08:37:00.000-08:00

The year 2002 was a classic one for African music, and arguably the finest of a batch of great new albums came from the celebrated Malian singer Salif Keita. His recent work had included excursions into jazz-rock and funk, but the album Moffou was very different—an acoustic set that marked a return to his African roots. The relaxed, gently rhythmic backing was provided by

National Association Of Congregational Christian Churches

2005-01-28T04:20:00.000-08:00

Association of churches organized in Detroit, Mich., in 1955 by ministers and laymen of Congregational Christian Churches who did not wish to take part in the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church that formed the United Church of Christ. The National Association wished to continue the independent tradition of congregationalism.

Procter & Gamble Company

2005-01-26T19:42:00.000-08:00

The company was formed in 1837 when William Procter, a British candlemaker, and James Gamble, an Irish soapmaker, merged their businesses in Cincinnati. The chief ingredient for both products was animal fat, which was readily available in the hog-butchering

Wild Oat

2005-01-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

The best-known species is A. fatua, which has become a common field and roadside weed in temperate Australia, North America, and southern Africa. It grows in small tufts about 0.9 to 1.2 m (3 to 4 feet) tall.

Gadwall

2005-01-22T18:14:00.000-08:00

(Anas strepera), small, drably coloured duck of the family Anatidae, a popular game bird. Almost circumpolar in distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, the gadwall breeds above latitude 40° and winters between 20–40°. In North America the densest breeding populations occur in the Dakotas and the prairie provinces of Canada; the coast of Louisiana is a primary wintering area.

Interior Design, Final drawings and specifications

2005-01-21T01:36:00.000-08:00

The next stages of the design may consist of a series of drawings done by professional draftsmen or by the interior designer himself, if he works as an

Sucre, Antonio José De

2005-01-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

At the age of 15 Sucre entered the

Dunant, Henri

2005-01-17T21:15:00.000-08:00

An eyewitness of the Battle of Solferino (June 24, 1859), which resulted in nearly 40,000 casualties, Dunant organized emergency aid services

Fabales

2005-01-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

The Fabales (legumes) may be considered a

Fisk, James

2005-01-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

Fisk worked successively as a circus hand, waiter, peddler, dry-goods salesman, stockbroker, and corporate official. In 1866 he formed Fisk and Belden, a brokerage firm, with the support of Daniel

Sunch'on

2005-01-10T00:08:00.000-08:00

City, Cholla-nam do (province), southern South Korea. Located on the Yosu Peninsula, 87 miles (140 km) southeast of Kwangju, the provincial capital, it is an administrative and economic centre of the eastern part of the province. It is connected by rail with Seoul through Kwangju and Taejon and, since 1968, has been connected with Pusan through Chinju and Masan. A transportation junction,

Sannazzaro, Jacopo

2005-01-09T03:17:00.000-08:00

Sannazzaro became court poet of the house of Aragon at the age of 20. In 1501, when Frederic, last king of the dynasty, lost his throne, Sannazzaro accompanied him into exile

China, Political history

2005-01-06T05:02:00.000-08:00

Ineptitude on the throne, bureaucratic factionalism at court, rivalries among Mongol generals, and ineffective supervision and coordination of provincial and local administration had gravely weakened the Yüan government by the 1340s. And in 1351 disastrous flooding of the Huang and Huai river basins aroused hundreds of thousands of long-oppressed Chinese peasants

Sunderland

2005-01-02T05:07:00.000-08:00

In the year 674 a monastery was founded in an area on the north riverbank known later as Monkwearmouth. St. Bede the Venerable (672/673–735), noted chronicler of Anglo-Saxon affairs, was born in the area and studied there.

Sunderland

2004-12-31T01:40:00.000-08:00

The school name was modified and its charter revised in 1902 under the seminary's second president,

Shi'i, Abu 'abd Allah Ash-

2004-12-29T06:11:00.000-08:00

Ash-Shi'i appeared among the Kutama, a Berber tribe of North Africa, at the end of the 9th century, proclaiming himself a precursor of the mahdi (messianic deliverer) and urging the people to revolt. He had met the Berbers at an earlier time during a pilgrimage to Mecca. After

Neuropteran

2004-12-27T01:30:00.000-08:00

Any member of the insect order Neuroptera. At one time the term neuropteran referred to many groups of insects that are now placed in other orders, so that, in a strict sense, the order Neuroptera now includes only the lacewings. Frequently, however, two other closely related insect groups are included as neuropterans. These are the snakeflies (Raphidiodea), so-called

Spring Of Khosrow Carpet

2004-12-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

Also called Winter of Khosrow Carpet ancient Persian carpet, possibly the most costly and magnificent of all time, made for the Ctesiphon palace of the Sasanian king Khosrow I (reigned AD 531–579). Described in the historical annals of the Muslim scholar at-Tabari, it became the model for subsequent Garden carpets. The carpet was called the Spring of Khosrow because it represented, in silk, gold, silver, and jewels, the splendour

Zion

2004-12-23T17:24:00.000-08:00

In the Old Testament, the easternmost of the two hills of ancient Jerusalem. It was the site of the Jebusite city captured by David, king of Israel and Judah, in the 10th century BC (2 Samuel 5:6–9) and established by him as his royal capital. Some scholars believe that the name also belonged to the “stronghold of Zion” taken by David (2 Samuel 5:7), which may have been the fortress of the city. The

Tyard, Pontus De

2004-12-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

Tyard was seigneur (lord) of Bissy-sur-Fley and an associate of the Lyonese poets, especially Maurice Scève. In 1551 he translated León Hebreo's Dialoghi di amore (“Dialogues

Empiricism, In medieval philosophy

2004-12-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

Most medieval philosophers after St. Augustine (see below, Criticism and evaluation) took an Empiricist position, at least about concepts, even if they recognized much substantial but nonempirical knowledge. The standard formulation of this age was: “There is nothing in the intellect that was not previously in the senses.” Thus St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–74) altogether rejected

Anthropoidea

2004-12-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

Suborder of primates including the families Callitrichidae (marmoset, q.v.), Cebidae (New World monkeys), Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys), Hylobatidae (gibbon and siamang, qq.v.), Pongidae (gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan, qq.v.), Hominidae (humans and fossil relatives), and the fossil group Parapithecidae.

Animuccia, Giovanni

2004-12-16T02:28:00.000-08:00

Little is known of Animuccia's life until 1555, when he became choirmaster at St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. His laudi spirituali, religious part-songs sung in Italian, were composed to be performed during St. Philip Neri's popular services at the Oratory of San Girolamo

Cumberland Islands

2004-12-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

Archipelago in the Great Barrier Reef, off the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. The group comprises more than 70 inner continental islands (land, not coral), including Whitsunday, Lindeman, Brampton, Molle, Long, Hook, Dent, and Hayman. The high-cliffed wooded chain, once inhabited by squatters and timber cutters, is now a reserve area. Discovered in 1770 by Captain James

Wessel, Horst

2004-12-10T14:09:00.000-08:00

A student and low-life bohemian, Wessel joined the Nazi Party in 1926 and became a member of the SA (Storm Troopers). In 1930 political enemies, possibly Communists, killed him in a brawl in his room in the Berlin slums. Nazi propagandists,

Chi-ning

2004-12-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Jining , conventional Tsining city in southwestern Shantung sheng (province), China. In early times the seat of the state of Jen, it later became a part of the state of Ch'i, which flourished in the Chou period (c. 1122–221 BC). It underwent many changes of name and administrative status. The present name, Chi-ning, first appeared under Mongol rule in AD 1271. In early times the city was usually subordinated to Yen-chou, about 20 miles

Fish

2004-12-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

The term fish is applied to a variety of vertebrates of several evolutionary lines.

Island

2004-12-03T00:29:00.000-08:00

Islands may be classified as either continental or oceanic. Oceanic islands are those that rise to the surface from the floors of the ocean basins. Continental islands are simply unsubmerged parts

Drummond, William Henry

2004-12-01T04:30:00.000-08:00

Drummond immigrated to Canada about 1864, left school at the age of 15 to help support his family, but at 30 took a degree in medicine at Bishop's College in Quebec. After

Automobile Racing

2004-11-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

The stunning success of Nigel Mansell, 1992 Formula One champion, in his first year in U.S. IndyCar competition highlighted a year in which virtuosity and tragedy shared centre stage. The 40-year-old Englishman, driving a Lola-Ford Cosworth for Newman-Haas Racing, edged 1993 Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi for the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) championship. Mansell

Antae

2004-11-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Antes federation of eastern Slavic nomadic tribes known by the 3rd century AD, dwelling in southern Russia between the Dnieper and Dniester rivers. A powerful people with highly developed agriculture, handicrafts, and ironwork, the Antae fought the Goths, who were fleeing westward from the Huns in the 4th century. In the early 6th century they joined in Slavic raids against

Wollstonecraft, Mary

2004-11-24T23:43:00.000-08:00

The daughter of a farmer, Wollstonecraft taught school and worked as a governess, experiences that inspired her views in Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787). In 1788 she began working as a translator for the London publisher James Johnson, who published

Chase, Salmon P(ortland)

2004-11-22T00:45:00.000-08:00

Chase received part of his education from his uncle Philander Chase, the first Episcopal bishop of Ohio

Nagano

2004-11-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

Most of the population occupies small mountain basins (Suwa, Matsumoto, Ina, Hida, Zenkoji), in which sericulture

Spock, Benjamin

2004-11-17T01:11:00.000-08:00

Spock received his medical degree in 1929 from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and trained for six years at the New York

Lop Nor

2004-11-15T23:45:00.000-08:00

The former lake, occupying roughly 770 square miles (2,000 square km) in the 1950s, ceased to exist by about 1970 upon completion of irrigation works

Gsung-'bum

2004-11-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

The writings of the lamas include commentaries on Indian texts together with essays on

G.c.v.o.

2004-11-12T04:51:00.000-08:00

Knight grand cross, or dame grand cross, of the Royal Victorian Order, member of the highest rank of a British order of knighthood. See Royal Victorian Order.

Rashi

2004-11-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Acronym of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi renowned medieval French commentator on the Bible and Talmud (the authoritative Jewish compendium of law, lore, and commentary). Rashi combined the two basic methods of interpretation, literal and nonliteral, in his influential Bible commentary. His commentary on the Talmud was a landmark in Talmudic exegesis, and his work still serves

Basal Metabolic Rate (bmr)

2004-11-08T05:39:00.000-08:00

Index of the general level of activity of an individual's body metabolism, determined by measuring his oxygen intake in the basal state—i.e., during absolute rest, but not sleep, 14 to 18 hours after eating. The higher the amount of oxygen consumed in a certain time interval, the more active is the oxidative process of the body and the higher is the rate of body metabolism. The

Macclesfield

2004-11-05T18:59:00.000-08:00

Town and borough (district), administrative and historic county of Cheshire, England. The borough includes a narrow strip of the Pennines in the east that is part of the Peak District National Park. The principal town, Macclesfield, is the centre of the silk industry. The manufacture of silk-covered buttons began in the 16th century, and silk throwing was introduced in

Frueh, Al

2004-11-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

Reared variously to be a farmer and then a brewer and also studying at a business school in his home town (learning shorthand), Frueh turned to cartooning professionally after being hired by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1904–08) in its art department. After a trip to Europe

Andaman And Nicobar Islands, The land

2004-11-01T00:16:00.000-08:00

The terrain of the Andamans is rough, with hills enclosing narrow longitudinal valleys. The highest elevation is 2,418 feet (737 metres) at Saddle Peak on North Andaman. Dense tropical forest covers the islands. No rivers and few perennial streams exist. The coral-fringed coasts of the Andamans are deeply indented, forming safe harbours and tidal creeks, often surrounded by

Liri River

2004-10-31T15:23:00.000-08:00

Latin Liris, river in central Italy, made up of two streams, the Rapido (or Gari) and the Liri, and having a total length of 98 mi (158 km) and a drainage basin of 1,911 sq mi (4,950 sq km). It has its sources near Cappadocia, in the Monti Simbruini east of Rome, and flows south and southeast through a long, narrow, scenic valley in its upper course as far as Arce, where it enters its wide lower valley and receives the

Fama

2004-10-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Greek Pheme, in Greco-Roman mythology, the personification of popular rumour. Pheme was more a poetic personification than a deified abstraction, although there was an altar in her honour at Athens. The Greek poet Hesiod portrayed her as an evildoer, easily stirred up but impossible to quell. The Athenian orator Aeschines distinguished Popular Rumour (Pheme) from Slander (Sykophantia)

Dzierzoniów

2004-10-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

German Reichenbach, city, Walbrzych województwo (province), southwestern Poland, on the Pilawa River. The community was founded as Reichenbach in the 12th century and received town rights in the 13th. The Duke of Ziebice (Münsterberg) pledged the town to Bohemia (1335), whence it passed to the Habsburgs. In 1742 it was surrendered, with Silesia, to Prussia; it returned to Poland in 1945 and was renamed for the Polish

Lagos

2004-10-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

State, southwestern Nigeria, on the coast of the Bight of Benin. It is bounded by the state of Ogun on the north and east, by the Bight of Benin on the south, and by the Republic of Benin on the west. From 1914 to 1954 the area included in the state was administered by the British as part of the colony of Nigeria. The provisions of the 1954 constitution led to the creation of the Federal Territory

Black Fly

2004-10-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

Also called buffalo gnat , or turkey gnat any member of the insect family Simuliidae (order Diptera), usually black or dark gray. About 300 species of worldwide distribution are known. The black fly is small and humpbacked, with gauzy wings, stout antennae and legs, and rather short mouthparts adapted for sucking blood. The females bite and are sometimes so abundant that they may kill chickens, birds, and other domestic

Swammerdam, Jan

2004-10-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Swammerdam completed medical studies in 1667 but never practiced medicine, devoting himself to microscopical investigations instead. Turning to the study of insects, he accurately described and illustrated

Koechlin, Charles

2004-10-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Influenced by Jules Massenet, Gabriel Fauré, and André Gédalge, under whom he studied, Koechlin experimented with the techniques of polytonality (the use of two or

Gall, Saint

2004-10-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Educated at the monastery of Bangor (in present-day North Down district, N.Ire.), Gall became a disciple of St. Columban and joined him on a mission to France. When Columban proceeded to Italy, Gall remained with the semipagan Alemanni,

Godard, Jean-luc

2004-10-15T04:23:00.000-07:00

Godard spent his formative years on the Swiss side of Lake Geneva, where his father directed a clinic. His higher education consisted of study for a degree in ethnology at the University of Paris, interminable student café conversations,